Tests show no traces of Covid-19 at Liverpool Lime Street station

Passengers can travel in confidence after university academics found no traces of the Covid-19 virus during two rounds of testing at Liverpool Lime Street station.

Places passengers touch regularly like escalator handrails, ticket machines, and benches were swabbed, and hour-long air samples were taken on the station concourse in January and June*.

The same tests were repeated on two inter-city train routes run by Avanti West Coast and Northern**.

Between the testing dates station passenger numbers increased by 242%.

All lab tests by Imperial College London showed no Covid-19 contamination of any surface tested or airborne particles of the virus in station or on trains.

The conclusions from the independent report commissioned by Network Rail say enhanced cleaning methods across the rail industry and widespread wearing of face coverings by passengers are key reasons for the negative results. 

Rob Mole, senior programme manager for Network Rail’s COVID response, said: “Station cleaning teams and train staff have made it their mission to keep passengers safe during the pandemic and this is proof their dedicated approach works.“We want all passengers to travel in confidence on the railway network and we will keep doing our part by rigorously cleaning trains and stations. We ask passengers to do their bit too by wearing face coverings while travelling out of respect for others so we can all stop the spread of Covid-19.”

David Green, senior research fellow at Imperial College London, said: “In the same way that a swab is used to take a COVID-19 test in the nose and throat and sent to the lab, we use a filter to collect any virus particles in the air and swabs to collect viruses on surfaces."This approach provides a way of quantifying the amount of virus circulating in these public environments and the effect of mitigation strategies like cleaning and wearing face coverings. This is part of a wider programme of work with the public transport sector to understand where this virus is most prevalent so that we can return to pre-pandemic activities as safely as possible.”

Network Rail figures show passengers are steadily returning to Liverpool Lime Street station.

This June 865,000 journeys were made compared to 253,000 in January – a rise of 242%.

Comparing June 2021 to pre-pandemic June 2019 - 70% of passengers have come back to Liverpool Lime Street.

Enhanced cleaning procedures will remain in place with hand sanitiser and face coverings available on the station concourse to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Passengers who can are expected to wear a face covering in stations and on trains so everyone can travel in confidence.

Rail travellers should continue to plan ahead, sanitise their hands regularly and open a train window while travelling if possible.